Enclosed level-wind for fishing reels



June 17, 1952 E. P. HURD ETAL 2,600,774

ENCLOSED LEVEL WIND FOR FISHING REELS Filed June 1, 1946 IN VEN TOR.

'OW/V E H020 BY HERBERT A" DIES Patented June 17, .1952

ENCLOSED LEVEL-WIND'FORIFISHING REELS Edwin P. Hurd and Herbert F. Dies "Detroit,

Mich., assignors to HurdLock and Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich a corporation of "Michigan Application June .1, 1946,;Serial N 0.67 3,760

"1 Claim. (01. 24.284.4)

The present invention relatesto a-fishing reel and more particularlyto an enclosedllevel' wind mechanism for directing the fishline to the T- tating spool-of the-ree1 .to assure the uniform distribution and winding of the fishline over the core of thespool.

Prior to the present invention, substantially all of the so-called'level wind mechanisms-designed-forfishing reels'were ofthe open or exposed type, and the life 101 suchmechanisms and the-eflicientoperation thereof were seriously impaired by the presence of grit, sand, water, and the like in the working ;parts. These factors cause excessive wearing;particularly of the lead screw and the *follower *mechariism resulting in an impairment of the "operation of the reel and increasing =the"required repairs and 'the "replacement of the worn-parts. Sincefishing reelsare used under a wide variety of operatingconditions, it heretofore 'has 'been a desired "but -unattained objective "to provide *a suitable enclosed type of level winding meehanism for=use'thereon.

"It is a principal object of the *present invention to provide afishing-reelhaving thereon a level line windingmechanism of the enclosed type.

It is a further object of -the present *invention to providean enclosed -type-of level line winding mechanism -'for a fisliing reelwhich is particularly characterized by its sturdy :*and durable construction -andits relative simplicity, which Q permits the economical mass production manufacture thereof.

:It ;is a furtherolbject .of the; present Linvention to providea level ayvind mechanismfor a fishing reel in which provision is made forgpmtecting the movable parts thereof to "assure .a l ng LYQpBrating :life therefore. The constructioribeingtaarticularly adapted :to permit ya athorough, lubrication of -the movin :.par.ts while protecting zthe op ra n ,pa ts a ainst .dirt, grit, "and "the like abrasive substances which acause pexcessive wear of the-operating parts.

Other objectsaof .this invention ;will appear Lin the :following description :and appended :claim, referencebeingihad to the accompanying drawings. forming: a :part of this.:specificationwherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in :theseveral views.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view; partially insection; of the level wind mechanism embodying the present invention *shown -as a part of --a fishing reel of the-uriitaryhousing type.

Fig. 2 isafragmentary section takensubstantia'lly'on the line 2-2 'lookingin thedirectionof the "arrows, Fig. '1. V

Fig. sis-a, bottomplan viewofthefishin g reel shown in Fig. 1, with a portion-of the closure plate broken awayitoshow a portion of' the level wind mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a section "taken substantially on the line-4-4-in the directionof the arrows, Fig. 2.

"Before "explaining in detail the'present inventionitis-to be understood that the'invention is not 'limitedrin'its application to the "details of construction and arrangement -of parts *illus trated *in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capableof other embodimentsand of being practiced'or carried outin various ways. Also it is to be understood that'the phraseology or terminology employed herein is 'for the purpose of description and. not of limitation.

It is to be understoodthatthe enclosed:level wind mechanism of the present invention may be applied toany desireditype of .line reeling mechanism in which a rotatable line reel is mounted in a housing. In the drawings we have shown the enclosed level wind mechanism as applied to a new type 'of fishing reel, the structural details of which are more-fully disclosed. in the co-pendi-ng application of Edwin P. Hurd, here identified as application 'No. 675,388, .Ifiled June-8, 1946,-now Patent No.'2,578,.477 dated December 11, -1,but it is tobe understood that the level winding mechanism ofthepresent invention may beaappliedto other devices in which a levelwinding of aline on a rotatable member is desired, 'as for example in thread bobbin winders, winches and the like.

Since the presentrinvention is concerned primarily with the enclosed level winding mechanism we have deemed it advisable in the interests of simplicity'not to showin this-application the details of the reel mechanism itself, but have shown only ,those parts of the reel mechanism which are necessary to explain fully the .construction ,and operation of the level wind mechanism .of the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 1, one embodiment of the level windmechanism embodying the presentinvention is there shown as embodied for use with a reelhaving a body housing l0 .terminatingin a forwardly extending nose portion H in which a, rod-receiving recess I2is provided. A spool l3 is'mounted for rotation in the housing [0' and is connected by a gear drive (not shown) with the handle I4 for rotation therewith. Since the mounting of aspool 13 in areel housing andthe gear train mechanism for driving the spool 13 from a rotatable handle I4 is well known and is conventional construction in this art, these features of the drive mechanism are not here shown. The fishing line |5 has one end attached to the core portion of the spool l3 and is wound on the spool |3 when the spool is rotated in response to the movement of the handle M.

In order to assure a level winding of the line |5 in successive layers on the core of the spool |3, the level winding mechanism of the present invention is provided. As here shown, the mechanism comprises a pivoting line guide l6 having an elongated eye I! therein. The line I5 is threaded through the elongated eye I! and as the arm I6 is moved through an arc whos ends are coincident with lines which intersect the ends of the core of the rotatable spool l3, it will be seen that the line I5 is fed to the spool l3 on a path which leads from one side of the spool I3 and then reverses its path and leads back to the point of beginning. Since the end of the arm l6 moves in an arc, an arcuate guide channel I8 is secured to the reel housing H] to supportand guid the freeend of the swinging arm I6.

Swinging movement of the arm is is imparted thereto in synchronism with the rotation of the spool l3 by means of the drive mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. As here shown, the drive mechanism is enclosed in a housing which consists of a chamber 20 provided in a webbed portion 2|, which, in the present instance, is formed as .an integral part of the body casting I0 but which may be formed in any other suitable manner and attached or secured to the reel housing as may be desired. The lower face of the chamber 20 is covered by a removable plate 22 which permits the assembly or servicing of the mechanism enclosed within the chamber 20.

The drive. mechanism for thearm IS, in the chamber 20, comprises a rotatable lead screw 23, provided with reverse cut path cam grooves or channels. The lead screw 23 is mounted for rotation in the housing |0. One end of the lead screw 23 is connected with a drive gear 24 which meshes with a driving gear 25 which is mounted for rotationupon rotation of the handle M. A follower 26 surrounds the lead screw 23 and is provided with 2. depending male guide member 21 which extends into the female grooves or channels provided in the lead screw member 23. Access to the member 27 when necessary for replacement or servicing is readily provided by the removal of the removable plate 28. By this construction a uniform reciprocating rectilinear motion is imparted to the follower 26 from uniform rotary motion of the lead screw 23.

A depending pin 29 (Fig; 3) is mounted on the bottom portion of the follower 26 and engages the yoke 30 of a swinging arm 3| which is connected with a pivotal shaft 32 to which the pivoted end of the arm I6 i connected. As here shown, the'shaft '32 is formed as an extension of the end of the arm I6. It is to be understood, however, that a separate shaft may be provided, to the end of which the arm I6 may be detachably connected. I

While a direct mechanical connection is here shown between the arm 3| and the rotatable shaft 32, it is to be understood that other types of connections such as a segmental rack gear or the like may be utilized to provide a geared connection between the swinging arm 3| and the shaft 32.

Since the chamber is an enclosed chamber, it will be seen that dirt, grit, dust, moistur and 4 the like are effectively kept away from the operating parts of the level winding mechanism. Also the lubrication problems are greatly simplified since, if desired, the chamber 20 may be suitably packed with any desired type of lubricating medium.

The operation of the level winding mechanism of the present invention is controlled by the rotation of the lead screw 23. As the lead screw 23 is rotated in one direction, the follower member 26 travels to and fro along the cam grooves or channels provided in the lead screw 23. The to and fro movement of the follower 26 is transferred through the pin 29 and the yoke to the arm 3| causing it to swing into the positions indicated in the dotted line portions of Fig. 3, The arm 3| is free to swing through an are into such positions since the depending pin 29 is free to move relative to the yoke 30. The swinging movement of the arm 3| is translated into pivotal movement of the shaft 32 which in turn causes the arm I6 to swing to and fro through th are necessary to feed the line |5 acros the width of the spool l3. The rate of movement of the swinging arm I6 is controlled by the rate of rotation and the pitch of the cam grooves or channels of the lead screw member 23. These are design and structural factors which may be varied as desired to compensate for various speeds of spool rotation and thus to permit the incorporation of the level winding mechanism of the present invention into any desired fishing reel construction or other line winding mechanisms.

Frictional drag on the arm operating mechanism is reduced by providing a track 35 on the web 2| which contacts the housing of the follower 26 and by providing a track 36 which provides a narrow bearing surface which supports the arm 3|.

The connection between the follower 26 and the end of the arm 3| may be of any suitable type which will permit swinging of the arm 3| and allow the necessary relative movement between the end of the arm 3| and the follower 26.

From the foregoing it will be seen that we have provided an enclosed level winding mechanism particularly adapted for use on fishing reels, in which the moving drive mechanism is enclosed and in which provision is made for synchronizing the line guiding member with the speed of rotation of the line spool. The mechanism is such that it can be v readily adapted for economical manufacture on a mass production basis and is so constructed that service and maintenance of the mechanism is reduced to a minimum.

We claim:

A level wind mechanism adapted to feed a line to a rotary spool and comprising a pivotally mounted swinging arm, a line guide on the swinging end of said arm, an enclosed drive mechanism geared to the rotating spool and connected with said swinging arm to effect a to and fro swinging movement of said arm in synchronism with the rotation of said spool, said drive mechanism comprising a reversely threaded lead screw mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the rotating spool, a follower mounted on said lead screw and a link operatively connected with said follower and said pivotally mounted swinging arm for translating the reciprocal motion of said follower into pivotal swinging movement of said arm, said drive mechanism being mounted in a fully enclosed hous-v ing having a top friction reducing guide rail in contact with said follower and a bottom friction reducing guide rail in contact with said REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Leaver et a1 Feb. 23, 1904 Welch Dec. 5, 1922 Russell Feb. 26, 1924 Maynes June 10, 1941 

